Published 6:10 pm, Friday, August 11, 2017

One of the biggest shopping seasons of the year — second only to the holidays — is here: back to school time.

As consumer confidence grows, spending for school and college is poised to reach an all-time high of $83.6 billion this year, up 10 percent from $75.8 billion last year, according to the National Retail Federation .

“Families are now in a state of mind where they feel a lot more confident about the economy,” NRF CEO and President Matthew Shay said in a statement. “With stronger employment levels and a continued increase in wages, consumers are spending more and we are optimistic that they will continue to do so throughout the rest of the year. As students head back to the classroom, retailers are prepared to meet their needs whether it’s for pencils and paper, shirts and pants or laptops and tablets.”

A separate survey by Stamford-based Synchrony Financial, which polled more than 1,850 parents of kindergarten through twelfth grade and college students in July, found 63 percent of K-12 parents feel confident about their overall financial condition, and 75 percent feel confident about their job. Additionally., 63 percent said their household finances have improved this year.